Chapter 115: Welcome to Yifu City

Players participating in the dungeon raid were quickly selected.

The initial player roster was set at 18, the vast majority drawn from Shi Ning's lecture team, all around level 20.

Only Wu Chang, Zhao Yan, and two other instructors from Wanghai City participated.

Unfortunately, Lei Huo, Meng Yawen, and other strong players were currently handling the handover of Lin Jiang's additional compensation at the branch office.

The martial arts club where the branch office was located happened to lie just outside the erosion zone.

In the 18-person team, the absolute core of the raid were Shi Ning and Xiang Jianxing.

Shi Ning, as a researcher, disliked combat, but having spent enough time in the Abyss Game, his level had reached the Wasteland Realm's upper limit of level 30.

His playstyle leaned toward support, with his skill system centered on drawing talismans.

He took out a table covered with a yellow tablecloth, a stack of yellow paper, and drew three talismans for each team member.

"Item Name: Insight Talisman"

"Item Type: Timed Consumable"

"Item Description: Using the Insight Talisman grants the Spiritual Light state, increasing the chance to discover special clues within the dungeon; effect influenced by inspiration."

"Item Name: Protective Talisman"

"Item Type: Timed Consumable"

"Item Description: Using the Protective Talisman grants a layer of Jin Guang Shield, absorbing massive damage and granting immunity to all malevolent forces."

"Item Name: Crane-Seeking Talisman"

"Item Type: Timed Consumable"

"Item Description: Using the Crane-Seeking Talisman summons a paper crane that is drawn to ongoing supernatural events."

Shi Ning divided the team into nine groups of two, placing himself and a defensive specialist from the Bureau at the center, while the other eight groups spread out in eight directions, beginning their exploration from Wanghai University outward.

He instructed the team: "Once a rogue dungeon begins eroding reality, it gradually surpasses its original level cap. We must strike swiftly and locate the dungeon's erosion core before it grows into an A-rank rogue dungeon."

"Rogue dungeons eroding reality differ from dungeon raids in the Abyss Game—exploration must not prioritize completion rate; speed and safety come first. Mark suspicious locations but do not rush forward. Wait until preliminary exploration is complete, then coordinate with other teams."

Originally, Wu Chang was to be paired with Zhao Yan, while Xiang Jianxing and Shi Ning provided central support.

But Xiang Jianxing worried Wu Chang couldn't protect himself, so he voluntarily switched to pair with Wu Chang.

Though Xiang Jianxing meant well, Wu Chang found it annoying.

Having someone who can see through truth and falsehood trailing you is less comfortable than being burdened with a dead weight.

Yes, "dead weight" refers to Zhao Yan.

Wu Chang's and Ailin's residence, Jinjing Garden Community, lay southwest of Wanghai University, so he voluntarily requested to explore that area.

As soon as they left Wanghai University, he sensed something was wrong.

He had spent four years at Wanghai University—he could walk every street around it blindfolded—and he was certain the west gate had never looked like this.

The landmark Orange Hotel still stood, but its sign now read "Peach Paradise Restaurant."

Looking inside from the entrance, the lobby was filled with tables and chairs—now truly a restaurant.

The feeling was deeply eerie, as if two cities had overlapped and fused.

He told Xiang Jianxing about the anomalies he'd found and asked: "When a rogue dungeon erodes reality, does it overlay onto the real world?"

Xiang Jianxing shook his head. "You've probably encountered the recent popular mystical realms—they're the remnants left by dungeons eroding reality. Normal eroding dungeons appear as newly added zones and don't alter existing space."

Wu Chang frowned, unsure whether this change stemmed from the Painter's ability or the rogue dungeon itself.

Several drones flew overhead, heading toward densely populated areas in the southeast.

As they flew, loudspeakers mounted on them broadcasted voice messages.

"Citizens, please note: Due to extreme weather conditions, the city has entered a red alert. Remain indoors and do not venture outside."

These drones were powered by a Bureau member's ability, unaffected by the dungeon's erosion barrier, now serving as mobile loudspeakers urging residents not to leave their homes.

Based on past experience handling erosion dungeons, staying indoors avoids over 80% of danger.

"Citizens…"

When the drone broadcast reached its third repetition, the voice suddenly became intermittent, as if the signal was disrupted.

A few seconds later, the broadcast resumed—but the content had changed.

"Welcome, residents, to Yifu City. The Yifu City Miracle Committee reminds you: Stay positive and energetic, stay healthy every day. Integrate with us—our beliefs will forge Yifu City's bright future."

The reason for the drones' anomaly quickly reached them.

According to the operator, when his drone flew more than five hundred meters away, he felt something in the dungeon hijacking his ability.

He could not break free from the hijacking; the propaganda about Yifu City had directly implanted itself into his mind. Had he not had the Protective Talisman, he likely would have suffered an inspiration surge on the spot.

The start was unfavorable, but not without gains.

At least they now knew the dungeon's background setting was called Yifu City.

That name was enough to investigate and retrieve related information.

Eroding dungeons, once detached from the Abyss Game, synchronize their time flow with the real world. The downside is that prolonged raid duration increases casualties within the dungeon.

The upside is that external assistance is possible, with real-time information retrieval.

While waiting, the team did not stop.

Xiang Jianxing activated a Crane-Seeking Talisman; the paper talisman burned and transformed into a small red crane.

The crane circled above their heads once, then let out a crane cry and flew off into the distance.

The two followed closely behind.

Half a month ago, Wanghai City had just endured an emergency evacuation; though the predicted danger never materialized, people's nerves remained tense.

Now, the weather had suddenly turned—the sky hung dark, as if about to collapse—and even without official announcements, it was clear something major was coming.

Even without a natural disaster, it would at least be a heavy downpour.

Most Wanghai City citizens caught within the erosion zone had stayed indoors, too afraid to venture out.

But some people worried this was a delayed arrival of the previously forecast earthquake, and staying indoors might be dangerous.

Yet when citizens stepped outside, they were stunned—was this still Wanghai City, where they had lived their entire lives?

It didn't match their memories at all.

An elderly couple with a child stood outside the residential compound, staring in confusion at the new intersection suddenly appearing at the gate.

"Honey, didn't we never have an intersection at our front gate?"

The old woman shook her head. "Shouldn't have been there. Did they build it last night?"

A neighbor at the gate chimed in: "Not 'shouldn't have'—it definitely wasn't there. I drive past here every day. Our gate's always been a straight road. How could they build an intersection without tearing down the whole compound?"

The neighbor made sense. Everyone turned to look at the intersection.

You know what? The main road running vertically through the intersection actually cut straight into the compound.

Buildings No. 7 and No. 8, once connected, had split down the middle into a V-shape, clearing a path between them.

This left residents utterly baffled—maybe a road could be built overnight, but splitting buildings 7 and 8 apart overnight? That was insane. Just as everyone was bewildered, cheerful music drifted from afar.

A colorful bus emerged from between the split buildings 7 and 8 and stopped before the crowd.

Four young women, dressed entirely in suits and wearing smiling masks, skipped out of the bus and began dancing right before everyone's eyes.

The girls had slender figures, curvaceous and alluring, their movements especially pleasing to watch.

These days, anyone still wearing a suit outside was either a salesperson or a middleman. These girls dancing so hard? Definitely selling apartments.

After all, housing prices had plummeted lately, and they were the ones pushing hardest.

Several middle-aged men returning from lunch sighed. Too bad—if they were selling anything else, they might've supported them. But apartments? No way. Their own mortgage wasn't even paid off yet.

When the dance ended, the lead woman in the suit walked over to the elderly couple with the child.

The old man quickly waved his hands. "Miss, I'm not buying property, not signing up for insurance, and not attending lectures. My grandchild told me before leaving: even if they offered me eggs, I shouldn't go."

The woman's smiling mask shifted, the smile widening. She bowed slightly and said:

"You've misunderstood. We're not salespeople. We're from the Yifu City Miracle Committee, here to bring warmth to the community."

!

Where was Yifu City? What warmth were they bringing to Wanghai City?

Everyone's faces showed confusion.

The woman smiled. "First, welcome to Yifu City. Now that you're here, you're family."

The old man was completely stunned—he felt like waking from a nap, only to find the world had changed.

The sky had darkened, a new road had appeared at the gate, and even Wanghai City had changed its name.

He looked around, wondering if he'd encountered Professor Shi's so-called Mann something effect—the one where too many people made your mind go fuzzy.

The woman continued:

"Since we're family, we hope you'll integrate with us. Yifu City wants every citizen to be cheerful, energetic, and active—and a healthy day begins with exercise. Let us lead you in a dance."

The old man understood this time and shook his head quickly.

"That dance you just did? Old man can't do it. My arms and legs are worn out—I'd fall apart after a few jumps. And it's raining today—my old rheumatism's aching. Go find someone else."

The woman didn't move. Her masked face stared straight at the old man.

"That's exactly why you need a healthy body. Grandpa, right now, you're thinking: I want health. I want to dance."

The old man waved his hand. "Really can't. Find someone else."

The woman's pure white smile mask suddenly turned gray-white, the corners of the mask drooping downward.

Her voice turned cold. "Think with me: I want health. I want to dance."

The old man, intimidated by her aura, whispered: "Okay, okay, okay—I'm thinking it. I want health. I want to dance."

As soon as he spoke, a layer of Bai Guang shimmered across his body. He looked fifteen years younger; his chronic rheumatism vanished instantly.

The music resumed. Without needing to follow along, the old man began dancing on the spot.

Jumping, leaping, doing handstands, splitting his legs, bending backward—all fluid, seamless. His wife and grandson stared, dumbfounded.

He couldn't remember the last time his body had felt this light.

Feeling young was wonderful.

If only he could stop.

"Miss, why can't I stop?"

After the old man began dancing, the other women in suits each selected someone else and began urging them.

The neighbors at first found it amazing and wanted to join—but seeing the old man beg to stop, they realized something was wrong.

One young man, recently exposed to short videos about criminals with supernatural abilities committing crimes worldwide, wondered:

Were these women criminals?

He lowered his head, sidestepped the woman in front of him, and walked home without looking back.

"I've got work this afternoon. Can't join."

The woman's mask turned gray-white. Behind him, she called out:

"Mr., wait. You must integrate into Yifu City."

The young man pretended not to hear and broke into a run.

The woman's mask turned black, her expression twisted into a snarl: "Mr.!"

Crack.

The running man's foot, as it landed, snapped—his ankle bent ninety degrees sideways, bone fragments protruding.

He opened his mouth to scream—then another crack echoed in his ear.

He saw the masked woman standing before him.

More accurately—his head had rotated 180 degrees.

The man with his ankles snapped and head twisted backward didn't fall — instead, following the music, he hopped back behind the residential compound gate and began dancing just like the old man.

Watching the two dance, the suit-wearing woman's black, grotesque mask shifted back to a white, smiling one. She tilted her head slightly and said in a cute tone:

"Mr., I told you to blend into Yifu City. Quirky types aren't welcome here."

Silence. Absolute silence.

The next instant, hysterical screams erupted.

People ran for their homes like mad, terrified that one more second of conversation with these freaks would send them down the young man's path.

The old lady wanted to run too, but she couldn't move, and she couldn't let go of her husband. She could only clutch her grandson tight, covering his eyes so he wouldn't see the young man — eyes bulging wide, dying in a wretched state — still breakdancing with her husband.

A few of the suit-wearing women watched the crowd scattering in all directions, going blank like robots for a moment, then coming back to themselves and saying in troubled tones:

"These new citizens really don't let one rest easy."

The masks on their faces all turned black at once, and they were just about to activate their abilities to make the people become like the young man.

Before they could raise their hands, a crane's cry rang out from afar.

The next instant, a flying sword, accompanied by the sound of cutting wind, drove into the face of the leading suit-wearing woman, the sword tip punching out through the back of her head.

The mask on the suit-wearing woman's face split open, revealing a face within — eyes vacant, expression dull and sluggish, utterly lifeless.

Calling it a person would be more fitting to call it a puppet.

The leader's death made the other three abandon chasing the civilians, all turning to look in the direction the flying sword had come from.

The flying sword flew back from the suit-wearing woman's face, and a moment later, Xiang Jianxing arrived riding his sword.

"Conghua, stay hidden — leave them to me."

Wu Chang, who had social anxiety disorder turned on, quietly made his way to the side of the suit-wearing woman with the sword in her face.

Perhaps because she wasn't a living thing to begin with, even after taking a sword strike that should have been fatal, she still had a breath left in her, struggling to use her ability.

Why bother.

He used the sea snake's venom to finish her off.

The next instant, he froze, staring at the prompt before him.

Killing monsters inside an侵蚀 instance actually grants experience?

(End of chapter)